Revolving electric furnace.



'N0.-799,105. I PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. E. STASSANO.

REVOLVING ELECTRIC FURNACE.

.APPLIOATION FILED APR.9,19027.

No. 799,105. PATENTED-SEPT. 12, 1905. E. STASSANO.

REVOLVING ELECTRIC FURNACE.

urmouxoiw nun APR. 9,-1902.

' 4SHEETS-BHBBT 2.

No. 799,105. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

' E. STASSANO.

REVOLVING ELECTRIC FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 9,1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

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No. 799,105. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. E. STASSANOi REVOLVING ELECTRICFURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9,1902.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

latented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed April 9,1902. Serial No. 101,996.

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNESTO S'rAssANo, a subject of the King of Italy,residing at Rome, in the Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus for Reducing and Refining Metals, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a smelting or reducingapparatus or furnace of a simple and cheap form which may be manipulatedeasily and in which there is little heat wasted; and to such ends my newand improved apparatus consists of a closed chamher. so mounted as to becapable of rotation on an axis inclined to the vertical and providedwith a carbon anode and a carbon cathode held in reciprocating holders,means for cooling the carbons, and means for reciprocating the same,although it is not to be un derstood that this invention is limited toan apparatus comprising at once all the aforesaid elements, as the sameconsists of the construction of certain devices and parts and theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of certain devices and parts,all as hereinafter.

more particularly set forth in the specification and pointed out in theclaims.

The invention is fully described and shown in the followingspecification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, whereinsimilar numerals of reference designate like or equivalent partswherever found throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is atop view, with a portion of one side shown in a horizontal section,taken on the line a a of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, aportion thereof being shown in section, taken on the line A B of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, taken in section on the line C D ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top view in detail of the annular ring or rail whichsupports the furnace as the same is rotated. Fig. 5 is a detail view,half in vertical section of the top portion of the furnace, showing-theconnection thereof with the stationary chimney and the seal-joint between them and the electric connections. Fig. 6 is a top plan View ofthat portion of the device shown in Fig. 5,- the top of the furnaceitself being omitted; and Figs. 7 and 8 are side and bottom views,respectively, of the bottom portion of the device, showing the manner ofsupplying the water for cooling the carbons and actuating the same.

Referring to the drawings, the furnace consists of a large uprightcylinder 1, of iron plate, covered by a spherical cap 2 and supported onthe bottom by a strong cast-iron plate or table 3, fitted with a centralpivot 4, revolving in a step-bearing 5. The cast-iron plate or table 3is provided on its periphery with a toothed ring 7, forming a gear-wheelaround the base of the furnace which gears into a pinion 6. which is putin motion by any suitable contrivances or means of rotation, (not shown)so as to bring about a constant rotation of the furnace.

The spindle 8 of the furnace instead of being vertical is inclined tothe perpendicular, and the furnace rotates on the pivot 4, beingsupported by means of rollers 9, Fig. 4, on an annular rail 10, Fig. 3,which annular rail also has its upper surface inclined at the sameangle, the interior bottom of the furnace being also so inclined,whereby two melted charges of material will be kept in continualagitation and the various particles thereof thoroughly intermixed andmingled during the rotation of the furnace.

The furnace or reduction-chamber 11 is lined with fireproof material andis provided at the top with an upwardly-extending cylindrical portion29, the central line of which is an extension of the inclined rotativeaxis of the furnace, and through this is formed the passage 12, formingthe escape-orifice for the gases produced in the furnace by the actionof the electric are upon the charge. A charging hole or orifice 1 1 isalso formed in and through the wall of the furnace and is provided withan exterior receiving-funnel 15, and this opening is normally closed bya plug 16. Two outlet tapping-holes 17 and 18 of the usual form, adaptedto be plugged in the well-known way with balls of wet clay, are alsoformed in such wall, usually at diametrically opposite points, the onemarked 17 being for the withdrawal of the heavier reduced metal and theone marked 18 being for the withdrawal of the lighter silicious slag.

The carbon electrodes, between which plays the arc performing thereduction, pass at 13 through the peripheral walls downwardly andinwardly, and the outer end portions ofthe same, as well as the innerends of the carbonholding rods, are inclosed in a water-walled casing19, between the walls of which a current of water is kept in constantcirculation in order to keep the outer ends of such carbons and suchrods constantly cool. On these cooling-cases are mounted the hydrauliccarbon-electrode-actuating cylinders 20, each of i form shown, and tosuch top are rigidly sewhich is provided with a reciprocating piston-rod21, provided at the outer end with a guide-head 24, which slides on theguide-rods 25 and is connected with the adjacent metallic carbon orelectrode rod 23 by an arm 22, and each pair of the rods 25 areconnected together by means of a bar 26, supported rigidly in positionby the inclined supporting-rods 27, the lower ends of which are firmlysecured to the exterior of the revolving portion of the furnace. Fromthe arrangement it will be seen that a reciprocation of the piston-rods21 of the hydraulic cylinders will cause a similar reciprocation of thecarbon electrodes through the intervening mechanism. The electrode-rodsslide on the rollers 28.

The cylindrical portion 29, Figs, 5 and 6, through which passes theescape-orifice 12, is provided on the exterior adjacent to the bottomwith an upwardly-extending annular box or cup open at the top, and downinto this annular cup 30 projects the lower end of an annular metallichood or chimney 31, which is rigidly secured in position in the wall orroof of the building, so that its central axis is coincident with theaxis of the escape-ori fice 12 in such manner that such chimney or hoodwill remain stationary while the furnace is rotated upon such axis, thebox 30 being filled with fine sand or other suitable refractory materialin such manner as to form a seal at the joint thus formed, so as toprevent the escape of the furnace-gases therethrough into thefurnace-room.

The furnace-top is usually of the spherical cured the metallic arms orbrackets 32, electrically insulatedin any desired manner therefrom, eachof which arms or brackets is provided with a brush 33, which will slide,respectively, upon av metallic disk or ring 34, electrically insulatedfrom but rigidly secured to the hood or chimney 31, thus forming asliding electrical connection between the brackets or arms 32 and suchrings or disks, which latter are in connection with the plus and minusconductors 38 of the device or devices supplying the electric energy tothe reducing-electrodes, which are in electric communication with thearms or brackets 32 through the electrode-holding rods 23 and conductors35, and from this description it will be seen that during the rotationof the furnace continuity of the electric current will be constantlymaintained through the sliding contacts so formed.

Underneath the table 3 is located the apparatus for supplying thecooling-water to the water-casing 19 around the electrode-poles and alsofor supplying the water to the hydraulic cylinders 20. Such apparatus isshown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8 and consists in substance of an annulardisk 36, fixed to the central stationary supporting journal, bushdisk 36are formed live annular grooves or channels numbered, respectively, 39,40, 41, 42, and 43. This grooved plate or disk 36 is covered at the .topby a plate or disk 37, secured to and revolving with the furnace, thejoint between such parts 36 and 37 being so made that water-tight jointsare formed between the grooves, so that although the plate 37 is inrotation there will be no communication between such grooves or betweenthem and the atmosphere. Secured on plate 37 in such manner as to be incommunication therethrough with each of such grooves, respectively, arepipes 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 45, the pipes 45 being in communication attheir upper end with the waterchamber of the electrode-casing 19 on oneside and the pipes 45' being in communication in like manner with thelike chamber of the other electrode on the other side, the pipes 46 and47 being in communication with the front and rear end, respectively, ofone of the cylinders 20 and the pipes 48 and 49 being in communicationin like manner with the other cylinder 20, and the various grooves inplate 36 being supplied with water under pressure fed thereto throughpipes 44 in communication with a suitable water-pressure supply (notshown) and the flow of the water through the various pipes beingcontrolled by suitable valves. (Not shown.)

hat I claim is 1. In an electric furnace, the combination with acircular closed chamber having its axis inclined at an angle to thevertical, of means for rotating such chamber, means for feeding an anodeand a cathode toward one another within the chamber, and means forcooling the outer ends of the anode and cathode, substantially as shownand described.

2. In an electric furnace, the combination with a circular closedchamber having its axis inclined at an angle to the vertical, of meansfor rotating such chamber, means for feeding an anode and a cathodetoward one another within the chamber, a stationary chimney incommunication with the waste-gas passage of the chamber, and means forsealing the joint between the chimney and the chamber, substantially asshown and described.

3. In an electric furnace, the combination with a circular closedchamber having its axis inclined at an angle to the vertical, of meansfor rotating such chamber, means for feeding an anode and a cathodetoward one another within the chamber, a stationary chimney incommunication with the waste-gas passage of the chamber, and means forsealing the joint between the chimney and the chamber, consisting of anannular cup surrounding an extension of the chamber through which thegaspassage passes in which lies the lower end of the chimney, the cupbeing lilled with aiinelypulverized heat-resisting substance to form aing, or base 5, and in the top surface of this 1 seal at such joint.

4. In a rotating electric furnace a revolving body or receptacle,provided with conductors in connection with the electrodes, suchconductors ending in brushes sliding on two disks fixed to astationarypipe forming the chimney which disks communicate with the source ofelectricity, such pipe being dipped into an annular cup and filled withsand fixed to the rotating body or receptacle, substantially as shownand described.

5. In a rotating electric furnace two electrodes inclosed withindouble-walled carbonholder casings, in which cold water is allowed tocirculate continuously, such casings rotating together with theelectrodes and the furnace and being in communication with a diskrotating in its turn on a stationary disk, the latter being fitted withgrooves in communication with pipes in communication with a ERNESTOSTASSANO.

Witnesses:

T. T. MEREDITH, A. ROZZL

